The Refreshing of Fate
by Andrew Joshua Talon
Summary: ON HOLD: Being the second part of the Love Hina Change Saga of Christopher Magician, the world turns upside down as Keitaro and friends try to make sense of it all...
1. In which it begins albeit in a confusing...

AJ Talon's Note and Disclaimer: MagicianXV bequeathed this fic to me as he had no more interest in it. As I loved the onset of it, I wanted to see it continue, and thus here I am! The Prologue and First Chapter were written by MageXV; everything following will be my work. Oh yes: I (nor MageXV) don't own Love Hina, all respective characters and sites belong to Ken Akamatsu. Anything not attributed to Mister Akamatsu belong to their respective owners. No profit is being gleaned from this for my personal use. This is just for fun, not money.  
  
The Refreshing of Fate A Love Hina Sequel by MagicianXV and Andrew Joshua Talon  
  
Somewhere on the far side of the world, high up on a towering, snow-capped mountain, there was a single flower. It existed in total isolation, unbeknownst to the rest of the world, and as far as it knew was the only flower in the entire universe. This was not the case. There were many other flowers in the world. However, it was the only remaining flower of its kind, and its survival was the product of an incredible string of ridiculously lucky events-lucky for the flower, anyway. Not everyone else involved was quite as fortunate.  
  
First off, this flower's descendants had lived nowhere near any mountains. Like any sensible flowers, they had put down their roots in a lush, sun- dappled meadow where they could grow and bloom without concern. They were pollinated by bees, which was fine-that was the way of things, and no respectable flower would complain about that. However, sun-dappled meadows were becoming scarcer and scarcer on Earth, and the one these flowers called home was no exception. One morning, a very large bulldozer came trundling along and annihilated the meadow along with everything in it.  
  
This bulldozer was also a perfectly ordinary bulldozer-it had been built by CAT, and was driven by a tall man named Matthew who smoked cigars. The bulldozer was thrilled when it realized what task it had been assigned was. More often than it liked, it was forced to smash into very large concrete buildings, which was no more fun for a bulldozer than it would have been for a human. There is not a single being in the known galaxy that likes having their head smashed against walls, and neither did the bulldozer. A nice, green field was another story, though-it was all soft and welcoming, and just the sort of thing that an earthmover have could a relaxing afternoon trampling.  
  
Matthew didn't enjoy ploughing through sun-dappled fields, but he had to get paid somehow, and he had a work order that very clearly stated that this particular field's time had come to an end. The job was easy and so it was over fast; before long, lots of other vehicles had arrived and were hard at work constructing a very important mini-mall. Martin, who hated mini-malls, decided that this was a good time to smoke a cigar.  
  
Now, most of the intelligent people out there are beginning to ask, "What in the world does this have to do with some flower? And why do we even care?" This is a difficult question to answer, but let's see what we can do.  
  
By uprooting the sun-dappled meadow, the flowers that lived there were quite thoroughly killed. They lay in a very large heap off to one side of the mini-mall construction site, waiting to be hauled off and turned into mulch. All but one of these flowers were, in fact, fated to become fertilizer. A single blossom-a tiny one with three leaves and yellow petals- was pulled loose by the wind and whisked away. It was dropped into a stream many miles removed from the carnage of its former home, and then shuttled along for days on the swift current. The stream wound along for a great distance, carrying the flower with it the whole time. It was a very good thing that this happened, because the site of the future mini-mall was had also been the only place on the planet where these tiny, three-leafed, yellow-petaled flowers grew.  
  
Now, this is where it gets weird.  
  
Not too long ago, in a place called Hinata, a great deal of confusion had taken place. There was once a man who had visited the world that Hinata existed in, although he wasn't exactly an alien. Reality is actually a very different thing from the way humans make it out to be. It isn't so much different planets or alternate dimensions as it is a vast, interconnected web of stuff, all overlapping and coexisting with the rest. The man who had come to Hinata was from a place not too far off from Earth, but he was in terrible need for a vacation. Earth, he had been told, was a prime spot for some relaxation, because it was so wholly boring. He dropped in for a look and was quite pleased; Earth was very quiet and mundane, but that was what he had been looking for.  
  
That wasn't the confusing part.  
  
The confusing part began when this man had something stolen from him. He had brought along his companion, an artificial being that he had made to keep himself company, and whom he was very fond of. It turned out that one of the humans living in Hinata was also fond of it, and the man was forced to leave it behind. At his next opportunity, he returned and wrought a great deal of havoc on the small town, but reclaimed his prize in the end and returned to his own world.  
  
The way that he had traveled between the two worlds was ultimately the problem. The old man had been very focused on his possession the second time around, and had been extremely careless about how he came and went. This resulted in a few patches of Earth that weren't quite as they should have been; they weren't large patches, and they were very hard to notice, but they were definitely there.  
  
This is the weird part.  
  
One of these patches was, incidentally, directly over the stream in which the flower was being carried. When the two collided, the flower was knocked far, far away from where it should have been going, and ended up on a very tall mountain. There was, unbelievably enough, just the right amount of sun, water, and soil for the flower to put down roots, and so it did. The flower became strong, and it grew to be tall and resilient, and no bulldozer in the world would ever be able to get high enough to tear it down.  
  
Life has a way of fixing things, or at least trying to correct its more foolhardy mistakes. There are always problems on Earth; that's part of what makes it real. The few things that are perfect don't often last, and if they ever do, are so hard to find that few people ever manage it. This flower was a good example of life setting a wrong it had made right, even if an old man with a temper had been required to get the ball rolling.  
  
  
  
Magician's Note: Houston, we have setup. Or something like it. I know, that was cryptic and confusing, but just bear with me, especially since this story is being difficult to write. I'll do my best to keep it flowing though, and I ask that everybody not hate me if I lag a bit. Peace! 


	2. In which certain new developments with K...

AJ Talon's Note and Disclaimer: Had a spot of trouble formatting this thing, but not to worry. I'll have the second chappy up soon (I hope). Anyway, I (nor MageXV) don't own Love Hina, all respective characters and sites belong to Ken Akamatsu. Anything not attributed to Mister Akamatsu belong to their respective owners. No profit is being gleaned from this for my personal use. This is just for fun, not money.  
  
The Refreshing of Fate A Love Hina Sequel by MagicianXV and Andrew Joshua Talon  
  
  
  
Glass has a funny way of interacting with the changing of seasons; specifically, the manner that light filters through it during different times of the year. In summer, for example, everything is at its peak of color-the trees are in full, lush bloom, and the sun is more than willing to shower everything below with its rays. Spring light tends to be of a cooler variety, and a little more refreshing than in summer; this may have to do with the frequent rainstorms, but no one has yet taken the time to find out. During the Autumn months, especially in places where the leaves change color, the light has a particularly busy feel; autumn is all about preparing for winter, and so the light moves quickly with no time for chit- chat.  
  
Of all these seasons, and all their different sorts of light, Shinobu Maehara's personal favorite was the winter light. Unlike autumn, winter's light was of a slow, unhurried variety. It knew where it was going in the end, but there was absolutely no rush to get there. She had only recently begun to take time to enjoy how shafts of sun filtered through the large front windows of Hinata House, but now that the discovery had been made, the fact that she had never noticed it before was frankly amazing. Everything about the sun made the living room warm and inviting-and also the perfect location for napping.  
  
This was a second item that Shinobu had never thought to study before. Naps had rarely, if ever, been on her mind; there was almost always something to be done in a building as large as Hinata House, and while Keitaro, the present manager, did more than his fair share of maintenance and cleaning, Shinobu was often the one who picked up the slack he couldn't handle. Between cooking, laundry, schoolwork, and various other chores, little time was left to spare for taking daytime rests. Shinobu, however, had been finding out some things about life and herself that she had never known before, and her fondness for naps was one of them.  
  
The perfect place, she had determined, was in the living room by those wonderful windows, directly in the path of the delicious winter sunbeams they so willingly dispensed. She never bothered with a chair or couch; stretched out on the hardwood floor, arms curled beneath her head in place of a pillow, was the best position she had found, and she was content to stay there for hours at a time.  
  
On this particular afternoon, Shinobu had been supplied with the rare surplus of three hours and no immediate tasks that needed attending. Everyone at Hinata House had been even busier than usual which often left Shinobu by herself, owing in part to her present method of attending school- receiving her tests and homework through the mail. It was surprisingly easy to get things done when she was alone, and the usual chores were done in a fraction of the time they could have taken.  
  
And so, she was given the perfect opportunity for a nap.  
  
"I need to get up though," she told herself reluctantly. "Everyone's going to be home soon...Urashima-sempai and Naru-sempai's class is over by now, and Kitsune was only working until five o'clock...so I really do need to get up." Oddly enough, this logic wouldn't click in her mind. It was as if her brain was a puzzle, and the information, reasonable as it might have been, just wouldn't fit into place. "Come on now...you're being lazy. Move, legs!"  
  
Her legs, it seemed, were quite content to stay where they were. As it happened, so were her arms, head, hands, and feet. No part of Shinobu Maehara was at all ready to end the nap.  
  
"Too comfy..." she murmured, rolling onto her back and grinning. "This is awful...I'm being so lazy..."  
  
Her ears twitched at the sound of a bird singing outside; two months ago, she wouldn't have had a clue that a bird was there, but her hearing had increased rather suddenly, and in a very unusual fashion. Shinobu usually wore a hat when she left Hinata House nowadays, because she had a pair of cat's ears-or, more accurately, kitten's ears-peeking through her dark hair. They had taken some getting used to, but despite being a little inconvenient, she didn't mind much. Her hearing was easily three times better than it had been, and they didn't look that bad either.  
  
"Okay," she said aloud, eyes still closed, "I'll count to five, and then I'll get up." She waited for the bird to stop singing, because that would obviously distract her. It continued on for a few minutes before flying away. "There. One...two...three...four...f-"  
  
"We're home!"  
  
Shinobu finished her last word in a way that was completely different that she had planned, although it did use the same number of letters. She scrambled up and dashed to the front hall, where Keitaro and Naru were hanging up their coats.  
  
"Hey, Shinobu!" Naru said, slipping a hook under the collar of her coat. "How was your day?"  
  
"Productive," Shinobu thought guiltily. Aloud, she said, "It was fine, Naru- sempai. How were your classes?"  
  
"Pretty good," Naru replied. She and Keitaro followed her out of the hall, and the three of them moved into the living room. Shinobu sat in an armchair while the two college students shared a couch. "Seta gave a lecture. It was really interesting."  
  
"Especially when he got his notes confused with a recipe for curry bento," Keitaro added. "It was a good way to spice things up though, eh, Naru?" Naru whacked him with a pillow, while Shinobu tried very hard to fake a smile.  
  
"It was better once he got everything straightened out," Naru told her. "He talked about a bunch of the ruins he's been too, and he had slides of some of the artifacts they dug up. I didn't realize how many places he's been, actually. I know he travels a lot, but he's seen more of the world than I probably ever will."  
  
"Not if you want to see it," Keitaro interjected. "It isn't like you have to stay in Japan. Maybe you could get a job that lets you travel a lot, like Seta does."  
  
"Or better yet," Naru said brightly, "maybe I could drop out of college, dump you, marry Seta, and travel the world with him! How would that be?" Keitaro turned beet-red and sputtered intelligently. Naru let him go on for a few seconds, then grinned. "Don't worry, I was just kidding. You're even more spastic that usual today.  
  
"No I'm not!" Keitaro protested. Naru stood and, once her back was to him, gave Shinobu a conspiratory wink. She started off toward the stairs, but paused after a few steps and flexed her shoulder with a pained expression.  
  
"I think I was sitting wrong during that lecture," she muttered, grimacing. "My arm's all stiff...I'm gonna go out to the hot spring for a while. Anybody what to come?" Keitaro perked up suddenly.  
  
"I can come?" He stared at her in disbelief.  
  
"Well, yeah, I guess. I'll just wear a bathing suit or something." His expression lowered a notch or two, but he nodded nonetheless.  
  
"Sure, I'll come. Meet you out there?"  
  
Okay. Shinobu? Would you like to join us?" Shinobu, who had been more than a little caught off guard when Naru's invitation had included Keitaro, jumped at the sound of her name.  
  
"Umm-what? Oh!" She flushed, wishing she didn't get embarrassed so easily. "I should really get started with dinner, actually...everyone's going to be home in a little while."  
  
"They can wait," Naru said carelessly, waving her hand in the direction of the door. "Come on out and relax with us. Just make sure you don't give this guy a chance to do anything perverted."  
  
"So little faith," Keitaro sighed, and he looked so downtrodden that both girls burst out in laughter. Shinobu decided to join them after all, and everyone went off to change. She found Naru outside a few minutes later, waiting by the edge of the spring but not in it yet.  
  
"I wish I knew what I did to my arm," Naru commented, twisting her shoulder in circles. "It really hurts, like I fell on it or something."  
  
"Maybe you tripped, and just don't remember?" Shinobu offered. "That happens sometimes."  
  
"Could be, I guess. Or someone bumped me in a hall...well, either way, there's no better remedy than a nice soak in a hot spring, right?"  
  
"Right!" Shinobu agreed. They stepped in and leaned against the rock walls, each moving to their favorite spots. Shinobu breathed deeply and closed her eyes. Naru sighed contentedly.  
  
"That's better...I'll bet it won't even hurt tomorrow."  
  
"I hope not," Shinobu murmured, although it was rather difficult to care about much in her current situation. She shifted a little on the stone so her tail wouldn't be pressed against the ground so tightly. Having a cat's ears was all right, but the tail had been troublesome; many a pair of pants had been ruined by cutting holes in the back end, and it was still tricky to find a comfortable way to sit.  
  
"So, how has your schoolwork been going, Shinobu?" Naru asked conversationally. "Is it harder to study at home?"  
  
"Not really," Shinobu said, thinking back over the last few days. Since acquiring her ears and tail, going to a public school hadn't seemed prudent. Kitsune had aided in the new arrangements-Shinobu had never dared to ask what ailment her teachers believed she was afflicted with. "It's actually a lot easier. Everyone else is out during the day, so it's nice and quiet."  
  
"It would be," Naru agreed. "Too bad it was never peaceful like that when Keitaro and I were studying for the Tokyo-U entrance exams. Everyone's so busy these days, though..."  
  
She trailed off, and Shinobu didn't pick up the conversation. It was very easy to forget about school and homework in the hot spring, and without consciously trying, Shinobu's sensitive hearing began to explore her surroundings. It was almost like having a second set of eyes; anything she could hear, she could picture exactly in her mind. There was a squirrel in a tree toward the far end of the hot spring, and a few branches below it, the same bird she had heard singing earlier.  
  
An unusual, grumbly sort of breathing belonged to Hinata House's newest resident, Garou-sama. The strange creature was, outwardly, an enormous, black wolf, but in reality he had once been a hurricane. (How this was possible, Shinobu wasn't sure.) He was presently asleep in a shed Keitaro and Seta had built for him, and that was where he usually stayed. The only person who had had any amount of luck in approaching him was Haruka, and that was because she stared him down for a full hour the first time they met-no one else had dared to try.  
  
Vague images drifted through Shinobu's mind; the bird had flown away, and Garou-sama turned over in his sleep. The front door inside Hinata House had opened as well, and two people came inside. She heard Keitaro's voice...but-  
  
"Naru?" Shinobu sat up abruptly, and looked over to the older girl. "Did Keitaro ever come outside?" Naru's eyes fluttered open.  
  
"Did he...no, I guess not. How long have we been out here?"  
  
"Only for a few minutes, I think. Two people just got home, though, and Keitaro was talking to them." Naru frowned.  
  
"Is something wrong? If it was only a few minutes-"  
  
"I think we should go check," Shinobu said, starting to climb out of the spring. "He doesn't sound right." As if to prove the point, her ears twitched rapidly as Keitaro's voice struck them again; he sounded worried, almost panicked. Shinobu grabbed a towel from the ground and hurried inside, Naru on her heels.  
  
Her instincts had been correct; when they entered the living room, the girls found a scene that was far from the ordinary. Keitaro, obviously having been on his way to the hot spring, was wearing swimming trunks and helping Motoko lay Su on the couch. The foreigner was clearly unconscious, which in itself was frightening-she was usually more energetic than three or four normal people combined. Motoko's face betrayed no emotion, but Shinobu could hear her heart racing.  
  
"Motoko!" Naru called, dashing over to them. "What happened? Is she okay?"  
  
"I believe so," Motoko answered, sliding a pillow under Su's head. "Her school called Haruka's teahouse an hour ago, requesting that she be taken home. Haruka was unable to retrieve her, so she relayed the message to me. I was excused from classes early and brought her here."  
  
"What's wrong with her?" Shinobu asked worriedly. "Did she get hurt?"  
  
"She seems to be ill. She was able to stand on her own for most of the trip back, but her strength failed when we were outside the door."  
  
"I'll go see what we have for medicine," Naru murmured. "She probably just has the flu."  
  
"I don't believe so," Motoko said, shaking her head. "I checked carefully, and her temperature is normal. My medical skills are limited, but I believe she is simply overtired."  
  
"All that bouncing around finally caught up with her," Keitaro observed. Her laid his hand on Su's forehead, then took it back and shrugged. "You're right, she doesn't have a fever. Let's just put her in bed for now, Naru. If she isn't up in a few hours, or if her temperature does go up, then we'll give her some medicine." He lifted her carefully from the couch and turned toward the stairs.  
  
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Naru asked critically. "We don't even know what's wrong with her. Leaving her alone may be a really bad idea."  
  
"Trust me," Keitaro said confidently, "I've been sick plenty of times, and the best cure is a good, long sleep. She'll be just fine." He carried Su upstairs and out of sight, leaving the three girls in uncomfortable silence.  
  
"Narusegawa?" Motoko said quietly, a few moments after he had left. Naru looked over at her.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I...I do not mean to pry, but I noticed...that..."  
  
"What's wrong, Motoko?" Naru asked. Shinobu looked up at the samurai curiously; there was an unusual amount of discomfort in her voice.  
  
"I am not certain how to ask you this, but...has Urashima been exercising? He was able to pick Kaolla up with little effort, and the muscle tone on his arms seems more defined." Naru's eyebrows went up, and she giggled.  
  
"Motoko? Are checking out my boyfriend?" Motoko blushed furiously.  
  
"Absolutely not! I was only inquiring-"  
  
"Don't worry, I was just teasing." Naru patted her shoulder, but Motoko didn't look very relieved. "I don't think he's been working out or anything. I'm sure he'd tell you if you asked, though..."  
  
"That will not be necessary," Motoko said briskly, straightening her uniform. (It didn't look crooked to Shinobu, but Motoko seemed happier after she had attended to it.) "If Urashima wishes to improve himself, that is an admirable decision, but no business of mine. I have unfinished schoolwork from this afternoon, so if you will excuse me..."  
  
She snatched her bag from the doorway and vanished up the staircase.  
  
"She was checking him out, you know," Naru told Shinobu quietly, still grinning. "She was totally blushing the whole time." Shinobu found herself doing the same, and was very glad that her tail was hidden behind her; she had discovered that whenever she was embarrassed, it had a bad habit of getting very fluffy.  
  
"I'm sure she didn't mean anything by it," Shinobu murmured, sitting down on the now-vacant couch. She pulled her towel more tightly around her shoulders and studied the floorboards intently.  
  
"I wonder if Keitaro has been doing something differently," Naru said thoughtfully. "He's been a lot less klutzy than usual, now that I think about it. It's been a while since he pulled my skirt down, or anything like that." Shinobu's tail practically turned into a feather duster at the mental images that conjured. "I don't think I'll ask him about it, though. I might jinx it. But then again..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Maybe I should ask. My Naru-Punch is getting rusty."  
  
Way to think, Narusegawa. Anyway, the next chapter will be complete soon (I hope), so just keep your fingers crossed. 


	3. In which Liddokun is exposed, Shinobu tr...

Talon's Note: Hola, my compadres! It's the second chapter. I told you I'd get it up! ^_^ Anyway, the same crap from the last chapter applies. I don't own Love Hina, not making money off this blah dee blah dee dah. There.  
  
  
  
********************  
  
The Refreshing of Fate A Love Hina Sequel by MagicianXV and Andrew Joshua Talon  
  
"I can't believe it," Naru said, for what seemed to Keitaro like the thousandth time. "It's just...this can't possibly be right. There has to be some mistake." Mutsumi Otohime smiled noncommittally and brandished her video tape.  
  
"Well...I don't think it's fake. Then again, the man I bought it from did look a little suspicious." Keitaro and Naru exchanged glances, then looked back at Mutsumi.  
  
"Who did you buy it from?" Keitaro asked. He took the tape from her and looked it over again, although it was perfectly ordinary on the outside.  
  
"I...oh my. I seem to have forgotten..." Keitaro buried his face in a pillow, and Naru just sighed.  
  
"It doesn't matter anyway," she muttered. "There's no way it could have been faked. I just can't understand how I could remember something so differently. I'm going to run it again, okay, Mutsumi? Just...just to be sure."  
  
"That's fine, Narusegawa," Mutsumi said contentedly. "After you're finished, would anyone mind if we used the hot spring for a while? It's a wonderful day for it."  
  
"I want to check on Su again before we go out," Keitaro said quickly, pulling the pillow down from his face. "She was still asleep when I looked before, but you never know."  
  
"Isn't that the truth," Naru murmured. She slid the tape into the VCR and hit the 'Play' button. After a few seconds of static, a slightly old-style cartoon began to roll across the screen. Cheery images of squirrels and other animals danced by, and the title Liddo-kun and Friends bounced happily around.  
  
"It'll be the same, Naru," Keitaro said dully. "Watching it again won't change anything."  
  
"It might!" Naru shot. "I-it's just that-well, you can't honestly say it doesn't disturb you too!" Keitaro shrugged.  
  
"This is such a big kotatsu," chirped a small voice from the television. "Isn't it nice, Liddo-kun?" A yellowish squirrel with pink eyes nodded and smiled.  
  
"It sure is! I just love a kotatsu!"  
  
"Oh my!" Mutsumi exclaimed happily. "So do I, Liddo-kun!"  
  
"Didn't she say that the first time we watched it?" Keitaro whispered. Naru rolled her eyes and nodded before turning back to the TV.  
  
Three squirrels were now crawling underneath the enormous, heated table, still chirping about how wonderfully warm it was. All at once, the camera zoomed out to reveal that the kotatsu was, in fact, an oven. The door slammed shut and the animals were quickly baked to a crisp. Naru lunged forward and grabbed the television with an anguished sob.  
  
"How could this happen?" she wailed, shaking the set violently from side to side. "I always thought Mutsumi was so flaky she remembered it wrong, but- but-"  
  
"Oh my," Mutsumi said quietly, toying with her long hair, "Narusegawa is terribly upset over this...do you need any help, Urashima?"  
  
"Ah-nah, I'm okay, Mutsumi," Keitaro gasped, trying to unfasten the distraught Naru's hands from the TV. "But-could you maybe take that tape home with you when you go? I don't think it's smart to leave it around Naru."  
  
"Stupid old animes!" Naru was shouting, her anguish now exchanged for rage. "Why couldn't it have been a happy series like I always thought? Instead it turns out to be some barbaric joke about char-broiled squirrels!"  
  
"Oh...but Narusegawa, they didn't always get char-broiled," Mutsumi pointed out. Naru stopped flailing her limbs and looked over at the older girl.  
  
"They didn't?"  
  
"No, of course not. That would have been much too gratuitous."  
  
"Yeah," Naru agreed, brightening a very small bit. "It would have been."  
  
"In some episodes they got fried, and in one of the specials, they were diced and turned into shish-kebab." Naru stared blankly at her, dumbfounded.  
  
"Thanks, Mutsumi," Keitaro said dryly. "I think that helped a lot."  
  
"Oh, it was my pleasure, Urashima," she replied brightly. "Should we go out to the hot spring now? It won't be light for much longer today."  
  
"You two go on," Keitaro said, standing up. "I'll meet you after I check on Su. Naru? Er...will you be all right?" She looked slowly up at him, still wide-eyed.  
  
"Shish-kebab," she repeated. "Liddo-kun, my stuffed animal, got turned into shish-kebab."  
  
"Ah," he said helpfully, "yeah. I suppose he did. See you outside, then, huh?" Taking the opportunity to excuse himself, Keitaro scurried across the room and up the stairs. Once out of sight, he halted and leaned against the wall. "That actually is pretty damn disturbing," he admitted. "What kind of sickos made those old animes anyhow?" When no one leapt forward with an answer, he decided to think about it when the opportunity to join two attractive women in a hot spring wasn't waiting for him, and walked the rest of the way to Su's room.  
  
Since Motoko had brought Su home the night before, not a single sound had come from the jungle-like environment she chose to live in. Keitaro had put her in her bed and sometime later, Naru had gone to change her into pajamas. Everyone had taken turns checking up on her, but there had been no change. There was nothing to indicate that she was sick-as far as anyone could tell, she was simply sleeping. Keitaro would almost have preferred some identifiable illness, since Su normally slept two or three hours a night.  
  
Maybe it was something she ate, he reflected. She'll put just about anything in her mouth if it doesn't bite her first. He slid her door open and stepped inside the darkened room, carefully dodging the spikier trees and bushes. Su's bed was situated at the back end of the room, and it took him a moment to wave his way through the thick maze of vegetation.  
  
When he was about ten feet away, Keitaro suddenly halted and looked down. Something had brushed against his leg-a soft, wispy sort of something that didn't belong in an setting like this. Straining his eyes through the darkness, he was able to make out what looked like a piece of string caught on his jeans. He picked it up and turned it over in his hands, utterly bewildered. It wasn't exactly string...more like a cobweb, but far stronger.  
  
"Su?" He looked around, wondering if she had woken up and was playing a prank. "Are you here?" There was no answer, and his heart began to thud. The last time anyone had gone missing, Shinobu turned up locked in a closet and transformed into a kitten. "Su, if you're kidding around with me, it isn't funny. Please just answer if you're there." He had a nasty suspicion that she wouldn't, and he was right.  
  
Taking a deep breath, Keitaro stepped forward cautiously, looking constantly around the room. The only living thing aside from himself was the foliage, and that didn't seem to be hostile. No horrible monsters were leaping out at him, which was definitely a good sign.  
  
"Just a little further," he murmured, stretching his hands out in front of him. After another two steps, his fingertips touched the wall and he let out a sigh of relief; if he was at the back of the room, Su's bed would be just on his left. He turned and looked down, expecting to see her asleep under the blankets.  
  
Su wasn't there.  
  
Keitaro's jaw hit the floor with an extremely loud thud when he saw what was.  
  
******  
  
Mitsune Konno had her story, and she was sticking to it-if asked, she would reply firmly that she had been working all day at the new downtown café, Caffeine Corner, and had been fortunate enough to serve an eccentric and extremely rich old man with no need for all his money.  
  
"An old man named Holey Mackerel," she added aloud, grinning. Her winning ticket from the afternoon's horserace was still seated comfortably in her back pocket, and her purse was considerably heavier than it had been during breakfast. "Poor guy just didn't know what to do with that twenty-thousand yen...it's sad, really." She walked on for a few more steps, snow crunching under her boots. Then, unable to contain herself, Kitsune burst out laughing. She pulled the ticket out, read the numbers, and laughed even harder. "Oh, man...some days you've just got it!"  
  
"Kitsune? Are you all right?" Kitsune choked and spun around; Shinobu was standing behind her, dressed in a coat and stocking cap and looking worried.  
  
"Sh-Shinobu! Yeah, I'm fine! I-uh-just thought of a joke I heard at work today." She paused and watched Shinobu's face; no suspicion or anger flashed across it. Instead, she smiled and put her hands in the pockets of her coat.  
  
"It was that funny? Can I hear it?"  
  
"Erm. It's a bit racy. You wouldn't like it, believe me," Kitsune quickly lied. Shinobu looked disappointed for a moment before shrugging.  
  
"Well, alright. If you say so." Kitsune smiled at the younger girl, and decided to change the subject.  
  
"So, what are you doing out here? It's freezing cold." Shinobu's eyes turned to the ground, a sheepish smile crossing her face.  
  
"Um. Well, I smelled something out here, and I wanted to see what it-" Shinobu froze, her eyes narrowing. Kitsune blinked in confusion.  
  
"Shinobu? What's-WOAH!" Shinobu rushed past her, going upon all fours with a screech. She moved exceptionally fast, her teeth bared, as she raced into the bushes nearby.  
  
"MEOWR!"  
  
A terrified squeak responded to Shinobu's feral call, and a rather large rat rushed out onto the patio with Shinobu right on his heels. Shinobu swatted at him, moving with a grace that any Olympic gymnast would covet. The rat managed to successfully dodge Shinobu's attacks, leaping into a trashcan for sanctuary. Shinobu simply knocked the can over, and with a hollow bang the trash receptacle was on its side. The rat, momentarily stunned, rolled out of the can and into Shinobu's waiting hands. She grinned hungrily, opening her mouth as the small rodent stared at its oncoming doom.  
  
"Shinobu!" Shouted Kitsune, knocking the rat out of the cat-girl's hands with a bat of her hand. The rat landed on the patio stone tiling a few feet away, and wisely rushed into the foliage. Shinobu blinked, then rubbed her head, a perplexed expression on her face.  
  
"Kitsune? Wh-What happened? Why am I-" Kitsune sighed, shaking her head.  
  
"You nearly added rodents to your diet, that's what," Kitsune stated, staring at Shinobu in disbelief. The cat girl's eyes widened, and started to shake.  
  
"I-I guess. Um." Kitsune sighed, patting the lithe girl on the back.  
  
"Calm down, it's alright. Heh, can't say I haven't been tempted to hunt down a rabbit from time to time. Guess this affects us more than we thought, hm?" Kitsune pointed to her stocking cap with a wink. Shinobu smiled back, before taking a deep breath.  
  
"This... Is difficult to get used to."  
  
"No kidding. Well... What time is it?" Shinobu pulled her coat sleeve up and checked her watch.  
  
"5:00. Oh no, I forgot to start dinner!" Shinobu rushed back into the Hinata at flank speed, Kitsune walking slowly behind her. She pulled out the winning horserace ticket and grinned.  
  
"Ah yes. Thank you, Holey Mackeral!" She laughed, before carefully pushing the ticket back into her pocket with an affectionate pat. She stepped into the Hinata's living room, shivering as she pulled her coat off and tucked it into the closet. She then plopped down on the couch, picked up the remote and flipped on the tube.  
  
"-And now for today's horseracing results," the greased-up newscaster with a fake smile reported before going over his script.  
  
"The winner for the Ohkana 52 was # 6, "Silver Trot", with a record time of one minute and 26 seconds. This magnificent animal will continue onward into the semi-finals, along with his expert rider, Sukoi Mizayuo." The screen behind the sports caster showed a clip of Silver Trot crossing the finish line. Kitsune grinned, patting her purse happily.  
  
"Ah yes, thank you, Silver Trot! I knew you smelled like a winner," she laughed. The foxy lady then blinked, re-thinking her last sentence.  
  
"Smelled?" Kitsune shook her head, rubbing her fox ears self-consciously.  
  
"Something wrong, Kitsune?" Kitsune jumped, her tail standing on end. Her eyes flew to Motoko, standing impassively behind her. The kendo girl raised an eyebrow.  
  
"There is no need for alarm, Kitsune," Motoko soothed. Kitsune took a deep breath, settling down to the couch cushions.  
  
"Sorry. I've just been a bit... Edgy." Motoko nodded, her brow knitted.  
  
"Yes. Things have become more troublesome lately."  
  
"How so? Is Su alright?" Motoko grimaced.  
  
"We don't know. She's become... Encased. In a cocoon of sorts." Kitsune's ears shot straight up as her eyes went wide.  
  
"A cocoon?" Motoko nodded, frowning. Kitsune shot up and headed for the stairs, Motoko following dutifully.  
  
"My God, that horse thing's nothing compared to this," Kitsune muttered as she strode for Su's room. Motoko blinked.  
  
"Horse thing? What horse thing?" Kitsune kept her back to Motoko and her face neutral.  
  
"Nothing. Believe me, it's nothing," Kitsune covered, chiding herself for her sloppiness. She made it to Suu's open door and stalked through, heading for the bed.  
  
Keitaro was crouched near the cocoon, in Su's bed rubbing it's cottony surface with a worried expression on his face. It was about the size of a barrel, and colored a bleached white. It was like a thick, silken coat, only very fuzzy. It also seemed to be breathing, continually expanding and shrinking by about an inch every minute.  
  
Kitsune's eyes opened up even wider, as she joined the one-time ronin on the floor. She poked the cocoon, staring at it. Keitaro took a deep breath before standing up.  
  
"I've been able to hear a heartbeat," he said, shaking his head at the fuzzy cocoon," but it's slow." Motoko narrowed her eyes.  
  
"Would it be wise to cut her open?"  
  
"And kill her?!" Keitaro snapped, a snarl of rage emerging upon his face. Motoko looked taken aback, retreating back one step. The ronin took a deep breath, holding his forehead with his right hand.  
  
"I'm... I'm sorry. I don't know where that came from," he sighed, staring dismally back at the cocoon. Kitsune patted his ankle reassuringly from her seat on the floor.  
  
"Hey, you're worried, I'm worried. We're all worried. It's nothing to get angry about," Kitsune consoled. Keitaro shook his head again, then sighed.  
  
"I've got to go. Mutsumi and Naru are waiting for me. Yell if anything changes," he said before heading out the door toward the hot springs.  
  
Motoko stared after him a moment, before quietly following the ex-ronin.  
  
"Kitsune, please watch over Su," Motoko said a second before she left the room  
  
"Hey wait-!" Kitsune raised her hand toward the door, but sighed and grimaced.  
  
"Great. Stuck babysitting," she grumbled, fingering the winning ticket again as she watched Su expand and contract like clockwork.  
  
******  
  
"Urashima."  
  
Keitaro turned his head to the side, catching Motoko's eye. The samurai was looking at him in an inquisitive manner. He turned around to face her politely.  
  
"Yes, Motoko?" The samurai fidgeted uncomfortably. Keitaro blinked, but remained silent.  
  
"There have been... Numerous strange happenings about for quite some time. And..." She trailed off. Keitaro searched her face.  
  
"And?" Motoko sighed, looking down at the floor.  
  
"I feel... More alert. More cautious. If you are correct, Urashima, in that I was a... Zombie for this Geppeto, I do not see how any of us can do anything to stop these changes." Keitaro smiled understandingly.  
  
"You're scared," he said, surprising himself for his bravery. He instinctively braced himself for one of Motoko's sword slashes, along with a battle cry for daring to question the bravery of a Shinmei Ryu graduate.  
  
These mental preparations took roughly 0.96 seconds within Keitaro's mind, ready to compensate for the shock to follow being blasted down the hall and into an empty room.  
  
The biggest shock was that these mental fortifications were completely in vain. Motoko merely nodded, still looking at the floor.  
  
"Yes." Keitaro blinked, then rechecked his short-term memory. Motoko, admitting she was scared?  
  
"Um..." Motoko looked up into Keitaro's eyes, staring at him. Was there fear in her eyes? No, it couldn't be, thought Keitaro.  
  
"Do you find it so strange that I've admitted it?" Motoko asked softly. Keitaro sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.  
  
"Well... Honestly? Yes, I do. Mainly because, if you're scared, I tend to think that there's no hope for the rest of us." Keitaro said with a weak chuckle. Motoko's stare became piercing, causing Keitaro to fidget.  
  
"Why would you think I'm brave, Urashima?" Keitaro's jaw fell open, and he had to force himself to close it back up. He retained a shocked expression though.  
  
"Why? Motoko, c'mon: You've handled your sword against monsters, demons, and giant robot turtles! And every time you've won. I mean, sheesh! You've got all that power! You've never-" Motoko snorted, turning away and cutting Keitaro's proclamation short. He stared at her back, watching her clutch her sword absently.  
  
"Power? Even all my power couldn't stop Geppetto, could it? I had no control, I was helpless. I was a puppet to him, nothing more. So, why would you think I'm brave, Keitaro?" Keitaro took a deep breath.  
  
"I've just... I can't..." Keitaro sighed, before something rose up from within him. This 'something' floated easily up his throat and to his mouth, passing over his tongue, teeth and lips. They moved like sails in the wind to this 'something'.  
  
"It takes a great deal of strength to admit one's feelings, especially if you've been taught to keep them in all your life. Motoko, you're one of the bravest people I've ever met, and this just adds more to that claim."  
  
Keitaro took a deep breath, staring at his lips as best he could. How in hell had he come up with that? However, he was soon distracted by a certain samurai girl glomping him around the waist.  
  
"Oof! I-!" Motoko pulled him close, pushing her face into her chest. And, she just held him there, as Keitaro stared, caught between passing out and blushing beet red.  
  
"Thank you, Keitaro," Motoko said, though it was slightly muffled thanks to the material of Keitaro's shirt. Poor Urashima, at this moment, hadn't clue one as to how this was even possible. Were the changes Geppeto had made more subtle than sprouting ears and tails?  
  
"Erm... Thanks," he said, awkwardly patting Motoko's back with one hand while he rubbed the nape of his neck with it's mate at the sheer weirdness of it all.  
  
It was, at this point, that Keitaro shifted his foot over the hem of Motoko's shrine pants. He, of course, had no way of knowing this, and nor did Motoko. Thus, as she lifted her foot in preparation of stepping away, she knocked Keitaro off balance.  
  
"What the-?"  
  
"Urashima! I-!" As almost anyone within the anime otaku community could have predicted, Keitaro had instinctively wrapped his arms around Motoko, thus sending both sprawling to the floor.  
  
WHUMP!  
  
They both stared into eachother's eyes, Motoko on top while Keitaro, slackjawed, was on the bottom.  
  
"Uh oh..." Keitaro shut his eyes tightly, expecting to get a ki blast right in the kisser.  
  
"Urashima..." Motoko murmured. She didn't sound angry, which was a good start... Keitaro opened his eyes. A second of looking nearly made his head explode from an increase in blood pressure.  
  
She had her eyes closed, and was bending down slowly for a kiss?!  
  
"AAAAAHHHHH!!!" Keitaro and Motoko both blinked. The scream had come from the hot springs...  
  
"KEITARO! KITSUNE! ANYONE! COME ON! GET HERE, DAMN IT!" Shrieked Naru. Motoko and Keitaro, deciding to forget the whole ordeal they had been in only a few seconds ago, leapt to their feet and ran down the hall, Naru's screams a beacon to their ears...  
  
********************  
  
Talon: Oi... Well, it took me long enough, ne?  
  
Mutsumi: ^_^ Ara ara, yes, Talon-kun. The readers seem happy you've finally got your act together.  
  
Talon: I hope they are. Jogress digivolving with Dromeomon to Mega was... Interresting, but I wouldn't like to do it again.  
  
Mutsumi: Ara... Talon-kun is thinking of creating a new Digimon fanfiction series. He wouldn't make it a self insert, but he'd like to brainstorm a bit.  
  
Talon: (sigh) Nah, Mutsumi. I've got too much on my plate as it is.  
  
Dromeomon, Talon's Muse/Digimon partner, enters. Think a small tan Utahraptor, with red wings, stripes and hair, plus big green eyes, and you've got her. She sighs, shaking her head at the anemic turtle princess and "Keitaro Urashima" of Fanfiction Authors.  
  
Dromeomon: Well, it's not my fault you can't focus on any project for more than a few weeks at a time.  
  
Talon: (sticks out his tongue at her) Nyah. So? It goes in a cycle: I'm into one project for a few weeks, then another, then the first one again, and so on.  
  
Mutsumi: Ara... Couldn't you try and plan it out?  
  
Talon: What fun is that?  
  
Mutsumi: Ara...  
  
Dromeomon: (sigh) Actually, Talon? Dude, Takato digivolved into Megidramon.  
  
Talon: (groan) Again? What made it happen this time?  
  
Dromeomon: Some new Mega on the block called Narusegawamon used her "Naru Punch" on Juri, and sent her into orbit. This really pissed off Takato-  
  
Talon: As I can imagine getting your girlfriend knocked into orbit would.  
  
Dromeomon: -and so he's lost control. He's going to waste downtown Tokyo. We need to become (dramatic pause) Deionychusmon! Or the world is screwed.  
  
Talon: Bummer. Alright then, Mutsumi? Get everyone into the bomb shelter, please? The Tamers are going to be busy for a while...  
  
Mutsumi: Ara... Be careful, Talon-kun.  
  
Talon: (blush) I'll try to. Don't worry.  
  
Mutsumi: Ara, actually, it's because you forgot to pay me this week, for being your muse.  
  
Talon and Dromeomon: (fall over) DOH!  
  
Talon: Dromeomon, you've got my wallet. Can you hand it here?  
  
Dromeomon: Erm... About that...  
  
Talon: (suspicious) About that? About what?  
  
Dromeomon: (blush) Um... I spent all your money on Veemon plushies?  
  
Talon: WHAT?!  
  
Mutsumi: (SUPER sweatdrop) Ara ara, please reveiw. 


	4. In which Mutsumi changes, Naru weeps, an...

Talon's Note: (sigh) It's taking so long for me to get anything done thanks to school and other distractions. (shrug) Oh well. What awaits our intrepid crew in the next chapter, hm? I guess we'll just have to see, heh...  
********************  
  
The Refreshing of Fate A Love Hina Sequel by MagicianXV and Andrew Joshua Talon  
"Mutsumi-chan, Mutsumi-chan," Narusegawa was sobbing, her eyes red as tears poured down her face. She shook violently, sitting on the surface of the hot springs patio, in nothing but a towel. She held another towel to her bosom, covered in ashes.  
  
"Naru! Naru, what's going on? What's-!" Another wail from Naru cut Keitaro off, the red head burying her face in the sooty towel with choked sobs. Motoko and Keitaro exchanged looks, before finally noticing what was in front of Narusegawa.  
  
"... Ashes? What in... What the..." Indeed, a pile of ashes, unassuming, unintrusive, sat in front of Naru. A small ring glinted from the dull grey pile, a lithe purity ring that Mutsumi had worn...  
  
"What happened, Narusegawa," prodded Motoko quietly, sitting next to the wailing girl. Keitaro could only stare at the scene, an impossible idea starting to form in his mind.  
  
"She-I-We.. We were going into the hot spring, um, and she looked kind of... uh... funny for a few moments, like she was going to throw up. And then, she started to smoke and... and... Oh god, oh god!" Naru began sobbing again, shivering.  
  
"She exploded! She just went fwoosh! And that's... That's all..." Naru threw herself into Motoko's arms, crying harder. Motoko awkwardly patted her on her back, alternating between staring at the pile and Keitaro in shock. Keitaro himself, just... sank to the floor, his eyes locked on the pile.  
  
"Mutsumi..." he murmured, barely above a whisper. He reached into the remains of his friend, his... Well, he really didn't know how to describe his relationship with Mutsumi. It just... was. And apparently...  
  
He pulled the purity ring out of the ashes, blowing on it. He then studied it, staring at it from every angle. She'd asked him to help her choose a ring, that he had gone to buy her for her birthday. And Keitaro had chosen this one, which had made Mutsumi happy. Well, and Narusegawa happy too, because that day they'd spent nearly an hour in the jewelery store and she'd wanted to go home...  
  
"... God... God damnit!" A wave of anger and rage swept through Keitaro, punching the patio floor.  
  
SMASH! The ex-ronin stared at the place he'd made contact with the patio. His fist had gone through it. He pulled it back out, staring at his blemishless hand. How could...?  
  
"Ara, why is it so dark?" Said a small, familiar voice. All three 'mourners' blinked, and stared at the pile of ashes. Something was digging itself out.  
  
"AAAAHHHH! IT'S MUTSUMI'S GHOST!" Screamed Keitaro, flipping backwards and landing on his face.  
  
"DAH! OUCH!" Naru and Motoko stood transfixed, watching the wriggling pile. After about a minute, a sooty beak poked out of the mess. A moment later, a head emerged. And, one more minute after that, a awkward, and extremely ugly bird tottered out of the ashes and blinked large brown eyes at it's surroundings.  
  
"Ara? Everything's so big, ara..." The bird looked around, then saw Keitaro lying on the floor. She happily toddled over to the ex-ronin's side, pecking him slightly with her beak.  
  
"Ara! Kei-kun, ara, are you alright?" Keitaro lifted his head, and stared into the bird's eyes. She stared right back.  
  
"AAAAHHHHHH!" Keitaro screamed, before his eyes rolled back into his head and he passed out. The bird sweatdropped, before turning to Motoko and Naru, both watching the bird wide-eyed.  
  
"Naru-chan? Motoko-chan? Ara, what's wrong?"  
  
"... Mutsumi?!"  
  
*************  
  
Short teaser chapter! Best I can do... Ciao! R&R, please! 


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